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Surebleak
Culture *Surebleak is a place with a soul of its own, and as such, it's a character. And what a character! For Surebleak's idiomatic language, see Bleaker Buzz: Language Play *One theme of the books set on Surebleak is culture...shock? Assimilation? Blending? *Ms. Audrey learns Liaden customs and seeks to preserve 'Bleaker ways: The Scouts were teaching classes. She’d signed up for one, herself — Introduction to Liaden Culture. It didn’t look like anybody was offering an Introduction to Surebleak Culture . . . yet. She figured she could teach one herself, if it went too far along without anybody more qualified than the proprietor of a whorehouse stepping up.Dragon in Exile, chapter 2 *Lady Kareen yos'Phelium leads a group effort to ensure a good marriage between Bleakers and Clan Korval, and all newcomers -- The Scouts, the various Liadens and Terrans, The Mercs -- to the benefit of all cultures: **"Since the relocation, my work has been redefined. The Delm requires me to observe the society in which we now find ourselves, and.."Dragon in Exile, chapter 14 *More details at Surebleak Culture Study The City *The name of a planet and “the largest, indeed the only, city on the planet”Neogenesis **in the short stories Skyblaze and Moon on the Hills it's called "Port City"Moon on the Hills, in Halfling Moon, and in A Liaden Universe Constellation, volume ii *The colonists named it Surebleak --"the name of the planet itself to be a sign of the original colonists’ disapproval" *Surebleak City is the birthplace of Miri Robertson and Liz Lizardi (see Fighting Chance) Fighting Chance, in Allies: Adventures in the Liaden Universe #12, and in A Liaden Universe Constellation, volume ii *It's home to Clan Korval after banishment (escape?) from Liad Astral Space *Surebleak is a planet in the Daiellen Sector, avoided by pilots due to lawlessness Ghost Ship, ch 33 **Plus it's cold, Boss!" *"end-of-the-spiral-arm planet" The Rifle's First Wife *The planet has two Tidal moons: Triga and Toppa. *“the double-star Chuck-Honey is barely a light year away” Trade Loops *No trade loops yet *Shan yos'Galan says the planet is "off the beaten path but there are three solid mid-level routes through that sector" so a trading loop is conceivableI Dare, Day 59, Standard Year 1393 *including a possible loop from Tradedesk after Theo talked with the CarresensDragon Ship, ch 18 **Janifer Carresens-Denobli, one of the three ranking traders and a senior trade commissioner, sends his 'First Thoughts' to Shan for a Trade Loop including Surebleak.Alliance of Equal, chap 3 Spaceport Defense *Dayside Portmaster Claren Liu and Nightside Portmaster Etienne Borden *“Surebleak is a low tier port. We have two weather satellites to back up comm traffic and a comm satellite that backs up the weather satellites. We’ve got one space-going tug. What we don’t have is defense.”I Dare, Day 44, SY1393, Surebleak **So Pat Rin obtained eight interconnected asteroid miners from Korval’s ship-stack in the Sherzer System, helped by Cheever McFarland, "Colonel" Andy Mack, Flyer Shugg, etc, **Place the asteroid miners in orbit to form a planetary security-netI Dare, Day 45, SY1393, Sherzer System *And Commander Liz Lizardi, retired from The Mercs, became Chief of Port Security On a related note: *“The Pilots Guild had announced that it would be establishing a field office at Surebleak Port.” Dragon Ship chapter 35 Geography *sea, swamp, river: “The weather had been unrelenting, windy and cold, for the past seven-day now, and the forecast for the morrow was much the same. The night winds would move over the seacoast, pushing moisture into the swamp-regions, where it would gather energy from the barely frozen rivers, then push to and over the bowl of the city as the winds changed.” *H2O: plenty of snow, sleet, and slush, mixed in with fog (snow fog), rain, mist -- and occasional sun **Yet in a short story (RFW) Diglon reflects on the planet's original condition, which couldn't sustain human life: "after their original colonists hard work Surebleak had breathable air, drinkable water, and land that could support farms and a spaceport." ***So this implies only the territory surrounding the timonium quarry, the city, and the spaceport is habitable. But there are rivers, sea coast, swamps, hills, etc?? *Road Boss will build the road out to the sea *Island, owned by Yulie ShaperDragon in Exile *Hills, valleys, coast: “A safe road out to the coast and back! another one up into the hills and back!” I Dare, DAY 355 Year 1392 Hamilton Street Surebleak (Melina Sherton) *“I got an interest in the border farms and some trade further in.”I Dare, DAY 355 Year 1392 Hamilton Street Surebleak (Melina Sherton) *Korval hired master meteorologist Ichliad Brunner (see Misfits) to improve the climate with orbital mirrors and a weather satelliteMisfits, *Archipelago: Shan, to Daav: I have my eye on the archipelago that lies east and north of here.” “North?” “Yes, it seems lunatic. However, according to Weatherman Brunner, once the mirrors are deployed in orbit, and tuned correctly, we should see some climatic benefit very quickly — and the situation I have in mind is only a few degrees nearer the pole.” Port Road *Runs from the Spaceport out to World's End, where the timonium diggings used to be (and Jelaza Kazone now is). *Travelling by the Port Road, there are five tollbooths between the Spaceport and Penn Kalhoon's turf, then a further five tollbooths between there and Jelaza Kazone. The first turf near the Spaceport is Boss Vine's. The next turf out from Boss Kalhoon's is Boss Whitman's, and the next turf out from that is Boss Conrad's. The last turf before the end of the Road is Melina Sherton's.Ghost Ship, ch 8 The next turf in from that is Ira Gabriel's. History *Settled about 150 hundred years ago by a mining company -- The Gilmour Agency -- which abandoned the planet when a newly discovered, richer, and more accessible timonium source became available in an asteroid belt. I Dare, ch 46 and ) *Gilmour Agency may have left Surebleak about 175 years ago. Rebbus Marks, an older man himself, shows the ID card for his grandpa's grandpa, an economist for Gilmour Agency. Dragon in Exile, ch 16 *The Gilmour Agency had an evacuation plan that could have got everybody off the planet, and all the equipment, but the suits decided it would be an unjustifiable expense, so they left behind the equipment and everybody below Grade Six."Block Party" *Yulie Shaper's Grandfather, pilot Captain Shaper, sued the Gilmour Agency for breach of contract and got a large settlement of land and equipment (see Moon on the Hills) *The original colonists dubbed the planet Surebleak: "Surebleak — he’d done his research and knew the name of the planet itself to be a sign of the original colonists’ disapproval -- but there, after their hard work Surebleak had breathable air, drinkable water, and land that could support farms." Government *After the Gilmour Agency abruptly evacuated, Surebleak government began to fall apart. Social systems eventually failed, including medical care when 'Bleakers couldn't pay the renewal fee for the galaxy-wide Health Net. Government completely collapsed when a plague struck the city, causing fear, death, chaos. I Dare, Day 309, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road *So the city was divided into turfs, overseen by Bosses. Each turf ran through the Port Road at some point. *Taxes: Bosses used tollgates to block access to the Port Road, allowing passage upon payment. Bosses also collected "insurance" fees from all businesses within their turf. In some turfs, the mandatory insurance payment was punitively exorbitant. I Dare, Day 307, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road *Systemic problems: In rough turfs, folks tended to seize control by killing the seated boss. Thus, bosses and their "hands" were those most willing and able to take and hold power -- regardless of whether they knew what to do with it. **Some bosses (Melina Sherton, Penn Kalhoon, Ira Gabriel, etc.) sincerely tried to care for their turfs, providing limited schooling, local health care, water treatment, etc. But with the Port Road blocked at each turf boundary, it was difficult for responsible bosses to communicate, much less collaborate. *There has recently been some improvement since Boss Conrad brought about the establishment of the Affiliation of Surebleak Bosses. **Jonni Conrad (Pat Rin yos'Phelium) wanted a council-based leadership system, but the associated bosses promptly made him the Boss Boss: "His fellow bosses, however, had insisted that there must be one Head Boss...and he had bowed to that, seeing that this was the model they understood."I Dare, Day 44, Standard Year 1393, Surebleak *When Clan Korval settled on Surebleak, the Delms agreed to protect and repair the Port Road. Val Con and Miri are the "Road Boss" with a "newly constructed office at the port."Dragon in Exile, ch 1 Bosses (an incomplete list) * Abram"Fighting Chance" * Victor Armhaut (M) - Conklin (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 36 * Jonni Conrad (M) - Blair Road * Josh Cruther (M) - Arcadja Alleys''I Dare'', ch 36 * Deacon (M) - a turf neighboring Blair Road (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 25 * Engle''Necessity's Child'', ch 33 * Fortunato''Dragon in Exile'', ch 21 * Ira Gabriel (M) - turf near the far end of the Port Road, next in from Sherton's''I Dare'', ch 30 - turf produces crops of wheat and oats''Neogenesis'', ch 8 * Goyan - turf neighboring Rinehart's (before Conrad started cleaning up)"Chimera" * Henrick - one of the Bosses who donated part of their turf to create Blair Road Turf''I Dare'', ch 18 * Iverness - one of the bosses cleaned up by Conrad, according to Lionel Smealy''Dragon in Exile'', ch 15 (possibly he's thinking of Boss Ivernet?) * Ivernet (M) - Industry Street (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 27 * Voral Jene (F) - Gough Street (before Conrad started cleaning up)I Dare, ch 36 * Penn Kalhoon (M) - Hamilton Street * Latimer - Hamilton Street (a predecessor of Boss Kalhoon)"Fighting Chance" * Marriot''Necessity's Child'', ch 19 * Nort Moran (M) - Blair Road (Boss Conrad's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Ostay - Hamilton Street (Boss Kalhoon's immediate predecessor)Dragon in Exile, ch 15 * Peterman - Hamilton Street (a predecessor of Boss Latimer)"Fighting Chance" * Randall - Blair Road (Boss Vindal's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Rinehart - turf neighboring Goyan's"Chimera" * Fran Schomaker - Gilly Street''Dragon in Exile'', ch 16 * Schroeder (M)Necessity's Child, ch 10''Necessity's Child'', ch 33 * Melina Sherton (F) - turf at the far end of the Port Road, where the city meets the farmland''I Dare'', ch 30 - turf produces meat, fruits and vegetables, as well as handling import of goods from further afield''Neogenesis'', ch 8 * Tiede - one of the Bosses who donated part of their turf to create Blair Road Turf''I Dare'', ch 18 * Torin"Block Party" * Tourin (M) - Blair Road (first Boss of Blair Road Turf; Boss Randall's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Wentworth (M)Necessity's Child, ch 29 - Jopha Road''Necessity's Child'', ch 14 * Whitman (F) - turf on the Port Road between Conrad's and Kalhoon's''Ghost Ship'', ch 8''Ghost Ship'', ch 25 * Elva Whitmore''I Dare'', ch 40 * Vindal (F) - Blair Road (Boss Moran's predecessor)I Dare, ch 18 * Vine (M) - turf nearest the Spaceport''I Dare'', ch 35''Ghost Ship'', ch 8 Hospital versus Healer Hall Surebleak now has a mix of doctors, healers, medics, clinics, and a new healer hall. --Or a joint Healer Hall / Hospital? Healer Hall is a Liaden thing, not Terran, but... *"There is a Hall here — a poor thing, compared to the Great Hall at Solcintra, but we will do our duty by our kindred." Healer Hestya works at Surebleak Healer Hall with Liaden physician Kez Rel ter’Ista, dubbed Kestrel -- but he seems also to work at the clinic. (semantics??) *"Don Eyr left the window to pour himself another cup of tea. Elaytha needed a Healer, he thought, carefully. On Liad, that thought would not have been possible. In Low Port, the situation would have been hopeless. The Healers did not administer to the clanless. He could not have said why he thought the Healers who had come to Surebleak might deal differently, unless it was merely that, Surebleak had dealt them a hand, when Liad had refused even to sell them a deck." *"Tommy Lee has driven a car into the city. He will first stop at the Healer Hall"Neogenesis, Surebleak / chapter 55 Audible No Terran healers. But yet... *“It was Hestya who spoke. "We have been told that there are no Terran Healers," she said. "This would appear to be. . .an error. Clearly, you are a Healer, Darby Bajek, as I am. The difference between us is that I have been taught control”....“You will be required to live at the Hall during the first phase of your instruction” Hestya tells Darby. Clinics in old Surebleak: *"Ira's got six clinics"..."Audrey, she grabbed what she could of Vindal's clinic and library before Moran torched them"I Dare, Day 309, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road, Surebleak Clinics under Boss Conrad: *a full-time clinic, day and night, advertised in The Blair Road Booster *Medic Svenz "told him to lie down and rest...on the treatment couch...”Street Cred, in Change Management *“Mister Warchiski, who worked at the clinic” ...“she must be taken to the clinic....Call, and they will send the clinic taxi," said the Liaden physician Kez Rel ter’Ista, dubbed Kestrel Surebleak Scouts The schism in The Liaden Scouts led to a faction on Surebleak: *Surebleak Headquarters Neogenesis, Surebleak **Scout Administrative Commander ven'Rathan (f) Dragon in Exile, chapter 1 *Surebleak Transitional Team **Scouts who volunteered for Surebleak, scattered across homes, (see Surebleak Culture Study), businesses (see Ms. Audrey's), even at Jelaza Kazone (see The Rifle's First Wife)Dragon in Exile, chapter 33 *Scout Academy: “The Scouts are offering courses, and intend to open an academy here”neogenesis, chapter 49 *Shan yos'Galan to Daav yos'Phelium: "I have my eye on the archipelago that lies east and north of here...and invite the scouts to do likewise. If they find the situation pleasing, then we might ease the pressure cooking of culture in the capital city.” “Do so many scouts follow the Dragon?” Daav asked, startled. “Ms. dea’Gauss’ database will be definitive, of course. My impression is that there is an. . .ideological divide between those who consider themselves to be scouts and those who consider themselves Liaden scouts.”Ghost Ship Splinter: Daav's Up Early (canon?) Establishments *Al's Hardware Store on Rendan Road, what was once Boss Moran's turf , Necessity's Child, chapter 14 **discrepancy: "on Blair Road, directly across from Al's Hardware" (maybe it's on the corner of Blair and Rendan Roads) *Ander's Sweet Shop - a block away from the clinic *Andy Mack's Repairs, at/near the portSkyblaze *Audrey's House of Joy, Blair RoadI Dare, Day 308, Standard Year 1392, Blair Road, Surebleak (See Ms. Audrey) *Bakeries **Algaina's unnamed bakery near The Wayhouse in "Block Party" **BrickOff Flourpower Bakery in "Skyblaze" (baker Granita) **Joan's Bakery, preferred meeting place for The Bedel. Necessity's Child, chapter 32, Dragon in Exile, chapter 29, Neogenesis, Surebleak part III / chapter 4 Audible **Quill's Bread Bakery: "Vessa Quill had been among the first to move into Boss Conrad's turf. She had immediately set up a bread bakery in a storefront half a block from the Boss's house"Dragon in Exile, chapter 4. She "delivers hot bread right to the kitchen door" before breakfast (Nova's house)Necessity's Child, chapter 35. ***Quill asked Don Eyr to bake chernubia for her shop (see Block Party). *Bazaar -- Surebleak Bazaar: a variety of shopping markets and a large common room: "There were things here that the Troop would pillage for; that soldiers would duel to possess." Dragon in Exile, chapter 3: Surebleak Port **"the Bazaar there at the port, where all the best things off Surebleak get offered." Neogenesis: Surebleak, chapter 1 *Bentler's Brewery *Blair Road Booster, news-sheet *Blair Road Building Committee: Constituted the night arsonists destroyed the bakeryDragon in Exile, chapter 23 *Bob's Grocery Dragon in Exile, chapter 28 *Carpet Emporium (Conrad, bel’Tarda) -- "advertisement, announcing the grand opening sale at the Carpet Emporium on Blair Road, directly across from Al's Hardware" **Ajay Naylor’s hand-tied rag rugs, on commission *Consolidated School, located at the meeting of four turfs, held by Bosses Conrad, Kalhoon, Schroeder and Engle.Necessity's Child, ch 33 *Council Hall where Council of Bosses meet *Emerald Casino —“And while you’re on port, don’t forget to visit the Emerald Casino. It’s all here at pilot-friendly Surebleak Port!”I Dare, DAY 38 Standard Year 1393 Liad Department of Interior Command Headquarters *Everett's Market, in Whitman's turf *Finder's Junk Heap, in Marriot's turf *Gilmour Agency Warehouses, abandoned by the company -- The Bedel live in the lower levels, by Council-approved squatters rights: "How if we say to Boss Conrad that we the Bedel have established tenancy, and the buildings are ours?"Necessity's Child, chapter 22"The Bosses have given us the place, which is our place," Udari added. *Greenlie’s Dry Goods *Healer Hall -- "Tommy Lee has driven a car into the city. He will first stop at the Healer Hall"Neogenesis, Surebleak / chapter 55 Audible **See Hospital versus Healer Hall section *Jakob’s Juice Bar, at the port -- “a tall glass of gwiffa juice”Dragon in Exile ch 26 *Jemie’s Cab Service Roving Gambler— Taxi / Courier, Port-n-City. Jemie and Vertu (see Skyblaze) *Jolie's House of Joy *Korval Yard, shipyard **?? same as "Boss Conrad's tiny shipyard -- Korval's first on Surebleak"Dragon in Exile, chapter 12?? *Library ?? **(perhaps not mentioned yet, but see Media Center) **"Audrey, she grabbed what she could of Vindal's clinic and library before Moran torched them" *Machine Shop, Kalhoon's Repair, where Miri worked as a youth, Ghost Ship, chapter 8 (maybe the same unnamed machine shop young Rudy works at years later) Necesity's Child, ch 33 *Media Center: "a media center. Perhaps he would find a book there"Dragon in Exile, chapter 11 *Melina Sherton's Produce Market -- at the edge of town, selling farm products and perhaps Autumn WineI Dare *Merc Hiring Hall ??? / Mercenary Soldier Recruitment Center -- ?? **Or was Commander Relgen of Relgen's Raiders coincidentally on planet that day, to interview the Pathfinders?Neogenesis: Surebleak / chapter 55 Audible *Meruda's back room poker Dragon in Exile, chapter 16 *Nelsin's Grabasnak (24-hour snacks at the port) Dragon in Exile, ch 20Nelsin Wasnyak, who owned a hot drink and snack counter on the main port.Neogenesis *Patrol / City Watch HQ *Pilot’s Guild Field Office at the Port *Planetary Cooperative: Duty-Free Shops at the port *Port Security HQ (Liz Lizardi) *Portmaster's Office *Printers / Print Shop -- prints Blair Road Booster, newspaper *Qe'andra office (corner qe'andra booths / storefront qe'andra)Dragon in Exile **part of the Accountants' Guild Neogenesis, Surebleak/ch 1 *Rag Shop *Road Boss's Office, newly constructed at the port Dragon in Exile, chapter 1 *Sherman's Shoot-Out on Veedle Street: gun shop and shooting rangeDragon in Exile, chapter 17 *Space Port Lounge, featuring Poker Night Specials *Spacemen’s Hostel - at the Port (expensive cubicle spaces for lodging) Dragon in Exile, ch 16 *Stadium (The Hooper plays there) *Supply Store *Surebleak Scouts HQ (see Scouts section) *The Syndicate (location not advertised) *Tantara Floor Coverings / aka Port Annex Rug Shop, -- Luken bel'Tarda /Boss Conrad, *Tobi's (a bite and a brew) *Trade Bar *Vin's Pawn Shop Necessity's Child, chapter 16 *Wayhouse, temporary housing for newcomers in need, located in Chairman Court: **"a wayhouse, wasn't it? Always had been, back to when the Gilmour Agency ran Surebleak. Wasn't meant but to give a newbie on the street someplace in outta the snow to sleep while they got themselves sorted an' settled."Block Party *Whosegow -- the jailDragon in Exile, chapter 6 *Wilmet's Grocery (Jim Snyder's first stop on Insurance Day)I Dare, Day 307, SY1392, Blair Road, Surebleak Korval Homes on Surebleak *Korval's clanhouse on Surebleak is Jelaza Kazone (house details at link). It stands a distance from Surebleak City, but the crown of The Tree is visible from the port.Skyblaze The drive takes an hour by taxi cab, from the port to Jelaza Kazone. (cite? I read this somewhere) **The nearest neighbor is Yulie Shaper, a farmer., Ghost Ship (see Moon on the Hills) *Shan yos'Galan and Priscilla are buying an island from Yulie Shaper, for the yos'Galan house site. Twin saplings from The Tree will be planted on the island. Dragon in Exile, epilogue *Pat Rin yos'Phelium (Boss Conrad) lives on Blair Road with his lifemate Inas Bhar / Natesa, his son Quin yos'Phelium, his foster-father Luken bel'Tarda (until he found a suitable apartment), his "head hand" Cheever McFarland, additional hands Gwince and Barth, etc. Miss Skene Liep and "Lefty"/Mr. Tef Lej pen'Erit provide security for Quin.Dragon in Exile There is also the butler Mr. pel'Tolian, the Cook (makes fine shortbread), and assistant cook JennetteRoving Gambler, etc. *Lady Kareen yos'Phelium lives on the corner of Dudley Avenue and Farley Lane, along with her colleagues Professor Kamele Waitley and Scout historian vey'Loffit. They work on the Surebleak Culture Study. Her cook is Esil Lang. For security, she has Hazenthull Explorer, and "head hand" Gert Jazdak, bodyguards Dafydil (Dilly) and Amiz, etc. Dragon in Exile, ch. 17 *Nova yos'Galan lives on Blair Road with her son Syl Vor, her foster daughter Kezzi of The Bedel (occasionally), her security chief Michael Golden, the cook Beck, general duty 'hand Gavit, and various house staff. Necessity's Child *Luken bel'Tarda lives in an apartment across from Audrey's House of Joy,Dragon in Exile, chapter 27 managing The Carpet Emporium and Tantara Floor Coverings Port Annex shop. Dragon in Exile, ch 4 He spends time across the street with Ms. AudreyDragon in Exile, ch 2 Seasons *There may be a discrepancy I Dare On Day 31 of Standard Year 1393, it is "high summer".I Dare, ch 40 Ghost Ship When Jelaza Kazone first arrived on Surebleak, shortly after Day 201 of the same year, it was not yet spring.Ghost Ship, ch 24 In due course, there was spring,Ghost Ship, ch 15 followed by late spring.Ghost Ship, ch 24 The gather held for all the Bosses at Jelaza Kazone took place "a matter of local weeks" before the onset of summer.Ghost Ship ch 27 When Val Con was called to deal with the trouble on Vandar, it was still spring.Ghost Ship, ch 39 Necessity's Child A few days after (that's after) the gather held for all the bosses, it is "very nearly spring".Necessity's Child, ch 5 Dragon Ship When the Uncle's message about Daav reaches Surebleak, it is summer.Dragon Ship, ch 27 Dragon in Exile Begins on a "supposed summer evening".Dragon in Exile, Prologue It continues to be summer in subsequent chapters. When Lionel Smealy meets the Road Boss, it is "mid-summer".Dragon in Exile, ch 15 "The days were growing cool again" just before Sherman's shooting competition.Dragon in Exile, ch 38 In the epilogue, Yulie says that in "'Nother ten or twelve days we'll be seeing autumn".Dragon in Exile, epilogue Street Cred "The season, so he'd been told, was early autumn""Street Cred" The Rifle's First Wife It’s early spring – “winter having been gone some weeks now”."The Rifle's First Wife (Lizzie's age indicates that it's a subsequent spring to the one in Ghost Ship; Alara's situation, that it's before the end of Dragon in Exile. Perhaps it's the spring mentioned in Necessity's Child.). -- Well as to that, it cannot be the Spring mentioned in Necessity's Child, because baby Talizea isn't born until the epilogue, where Syl Vor tells Nova: "I'm happy to make the acquaintance of my new cousin Talizea, but I'll be very happy to go home again." Neogenesis The gardens are being/have recently been prepared for winter. Winter oats are sprouting. Yulie Shaper is busy harvesting.Neogenesis, ch 8 References Category:Planets Category:Characters